Hanging by one arm, Alan reached up with his other hand and grasped the belt of Haddix's suit. Suspended there by both arms now, he reached up again for the flange of metal at the neck of Haddix's suit, where the glassite helmet fit. He got the gauntletted fingers of one hand around it, then almost lost his precarious grip. He swung sickeningly over the abyss for one harrowing moment, then held the flange with both hands. Taking a deep breath, he reached for the lip of the tube itself and soon clambered up and over. He lay there briefly, panting. He had never been nearer death in his life.
"Help!" Haddix gasped. "I can't hold on much longer."
Alan crouched there, looked over the edge. Haddix still clung with both hands.
"Why did you try to kill me?" Alan demanded. "Did you kill my father and Eugene Talbrick too?"
"It was Keifer!" Haddix cried. "Keifer thought you were suspicious. He was going to get you out of the way and keep using your name."
"Did he kill my father?"
"I don't know. Honest."
"And Talbrick?"
"One of my men did it. At Keifer's orders. Get me out of here, I'm begging you."